Woven belt constructions



Fb. 12, 1957 I I "R. L. WHIITE- L 2,781,062

WOVEN BELT CONSTRUCTIQNS Filed 001'.- 3, 1955 V v 0 2+ ROBERT ,LWHITEINVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY United States Etent O WOVEN BELT CONSTRUCTIONS Robert L.White, Claremont, Calif.

Application October 3, 1955, Serial No. 538,123

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-425) is to teach the construction of belts or strapsof this category which may be used for a wide variety of dif-' ferentpurposes, and, hence, which may be termed universal in character.

A distinguishing feature of this invention lies in the use of aparticular category of wire. At the present time, electrical wires areused for a wide variety of pur-' poses, such as telephone installations,which wires are formed utilizing a core of either a solid strand of wireor plurality of strands of wire twisted together. The cores are coatedwith a comparatively thin adherent coating of a plastic material.material are very important for electrical purposes; these sameproperties particularly adapt these electrical wires for use in wovenbelts or straps of this invention.

The strength of the construction of belts or straps'ac cording to thepresent invention is primarily derived from the inherent strength of thewire cores. Suitable metals for such cores are copper, aluminum or thelike. coatings placed upon the cores may be virtually any common,flexible, water-resistant, durable, heat and abrasion The properties ofthis plastic The resistant material, such as compositions based uponthe:

use of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene,

nylon, polyurethanes, or other related resins and copolymers. Obviously,such compositions can, and normally do, contain various amounts ofplasticizers, fillers, pig-' ments, and the like. These coatings arenormally applied to a wire core by various extrusion processes, althoughthey may be also applied by various dipping procedures.

Regardless of the method of application employed,

such coatings serve to protect the wire core utilized from corrosion.These coatings also serve to present a pleasing appearance to the eyesince they may be colored" in any desired manner. Thus, the belt orstrap constructions of the invention can be distinguished from priorconstructions since they can be formed to have a pleasing appearanceinvolving a number of different colors. Their appearance is not,howevenlimited to the useof any particular combination of colored wires;any belt or strap of the invention, regardless of 'color, is consid-'ered to be ornamental from a design'viewpoint.

Hence, it may be considered that an object of the pres ent invention isto provide a new and ornamental design for a woven belt or strap or thelike. Further objects of this invention, as well as many specificadvantages of it will be more fully apparent from the remainder of thisdescription, including the appended claims and the accompanyingdrawingsinwhich:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a woven belt formed in accordance with thisinvention, illustrating the design of such abelt;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the belt shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view illustrating how a belt retainer may be located ona belt such as is shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

In all figures of the drawing like numerals are used to designate likeparts wherever convenient for purposes of illustration and explanation.Although the constructions shown on the drawing represent preferred,actual embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that otherstructures falling within the scope of this invention may be createdwithout departing from the essential features herein described.

In order that the present invention may be completely understood, theconcept behind the invention may be briefly summarized as beingconcerned with a belt or strap construction which involves first andsecond woof wires located in a manner such that they may be consideredto be positioned one over the other, said first and said second woofwires being bent so as to each include loops formed thereon; and firstand second warp wires positioned generally parallel to one another, eachof said warp wires passing over and under portions of said woof wiresforming said loops, in order to form a unitary woven or braided belt orstrap.

Obviously, a summary of this nature is not sufiicient to completelyindicate to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertainsthe exact nature of the invention.

For this reason, reference is made to the accompanying a drawing and inparticular, to Figs. 1 and 2, where there is shown a part of the belt 1%of the present invention which is intended to be worn by an individual.This belt 10 is formed so as to include a common belt buckle 12 having abase 14 and a belt tongue 16 attached to this base so as to be pivotallymounted with respect to it. Attached to the base 14 on each side of thetongue 16 are first and second warp wires 18 and 20. On each side ofthese two warp wires there are attached to the base 14 first and secondwoof Wires 22 and 24. While a number of different means maybe used toattach these wires to the base 14, it is preferred with the instantinvention to utilize a common girth hitch. The use of a knot of thiscategory has the result that all of the individual wires composing thebelt 10 are, in fact, double, inasmuch as the warp wires 18 and 20 andthe woof wires 22 and 24 are each composed of two separate strands orwires located side by side in substantially a single plane. .This isquite advantageous with the instant invention inasmuch as when twoseparate wires are used for each of the warp and woof strands or wiresof the belt'lil, the angles at which these wires .are bent in the beltare increased, or stated in another way, the radii of curvature of thevariousindividual strands in these wires in the final belt is increased.The larger such radii, the easier it is to form the'belt 10, and also,the less danger of the wire cores within the wires used breaking.

*Informingthe'belt' 10," the various warp and woof wires are locatedwithrespect to one another so as to' 1 project .from-the base 14 of thebuckle 12.- Next; the

V complete' belt t wire 22 is passed underv the warp wires 18 and 20 soas to form a loop 26. The Woof. Wire 24 is then passed under the top endof this loop 26, over the warpr wire 20, underpart of theloop 26, overthe warp wire 18,.and thenunder the woof wire 2 2- adjacent to1the-base14. The woof wire 24 is then bent tolform and loop 28 and; passed overthe warp wires 18 and 20 so as to form another loop'26 immediatelyadjacent to where. it was previously passed through the loop adjacent tothe warp wire 20. Also, the woof wire 24 is passed under the por tion ofthe woof wire 22 between the warp wires 18 and 20. When this operationhas been carried out, the entire process is repeated a number of timesso as to form the Those skilled in the art to which this inventionpertains will'reali'ze from a consideration of the foregoing tothesideofone loop forms partof thenext'adjacent loop. 7

It. will; also be realized thatthe first and second. woof wiresldand 22are respectively located generally. above andbelow the warp wires-18 and20. with the loopsvformed 'onthe .roof, wires 22 and 24 being offsetwith respect to. one another by. an amount equalto appronimately half ofthe-width otlany one, loop, lt is considered ob ious that thevariousindividual loops employed, are;v of sub,- stantially the same orequal dimension.

It. is. readily. seen in Fig- 10 he rawings th t h fir warp. wire; 18'islocated: so. as to. project over alternate loops formed on the firstwoof; wire 22, and so as: to project under portions of the; second woof,wire 24;1ocated generally beneath these; alternate loops on the firstwoofjwire. Thesecondwarp wire 20 is similarly. located soastoprojectover' the other remaining alternate loops onv the first. woofwire 22 and under the portions of. the. second: woof wire 24 locatedgenerally beneath these other alternate loops in the first woof wife 22.This type of structure. is quite advantageous inasmuch as the warp andwoof wires arein essence wovenor interlaced together' in a comparativelysimple manner in which the wires are securely held, and in which thewires arev capable of a certain amount of give or adjustment during use.The ends of the-wiresin the belt 10 may be conveniently secured togetheronce a desired-length has been reached by any desired method, suchasembedding, all the ends'of these wires in asolid block ofaplastic, orby soldering or otherwise attaching these endsto one another.

If desired, the belt 10 may be modified as shown in Figs. 3 and/L of thedrawings so as-to include a belt retainer 30, having a base 32.This-base 32 is adapted to be-held beneath the warp wires Hand 20generally'above the-woof wires 22 and 24. This retainer maybe easily andconveniently placed within thebelt 10 during weaving or'braiding of thisbelt.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention involves a belt for, useby an indivdual, it is to be; understood thatthe invention isnotglimited to belts or straps for such applications, although theinvention is particularly adapted for such use since belts constructed'as herein describedcasilyconform to various bodily icontours; and donot take a permanent set.- Also, because of the essentially open natureof the belt 10, this belt provides excellent ventilation and iscomparatively cool to wear. Because of the inherent nature of'the weave,a

number of'iopenings are, in essence, left between the. warp wires 18 and20 and between the .woo'fr wires 22 and so, that the tongue 16 may beinserted in the belt 10 at any location in ordcrto secure this belt. 7 pQne major advantage of theinstant invention. lies in the .fact thatbeltsor straps asflherein described cal be easily cleaned. by" the, useofconventional detergents and. water, without damage because of the.nature ,of the,

s T" 2,781,062. 2 i

from the essential nature of this invention, As an e};- ample of suchmodifications, only a single strand of wire may be used for each of thewarp wires employed, although this is not preferred inasmuch as it isbelieved that this will detract from the essentialdcsign appearance ofthe product created. The appearance of belts or straps as indicated inthe drawingis' considered to be quite important from an esthctic pointof view. Belts or straps as'herein defined can be made continuous byvarious obvious expedients. I

Those skilled in the art will further realize that belts or straps asherein described are very economical to plastic: coatings utilized.These'plasticcoatingsi'are also extremelvadvantageouswhen beltsas hereindescribed areused infindustria-l applications, such as motor belts,where a corrosiveatrnosphereis present. 'Ihe;plasticcoati'ngsin suchapplications prevent the wire cores used from being attacked bycorrosive, elements present. Thebelts or' straps of this invention arealso advantageous when used on pulleys :and the like because. of the inlicrent. nden y Qfthe weave and plas ieto e ert oniderab eamoun lot ration. V

'."lZ s s .-.skil1cd'in he art to whi h his i v nt n per.- tains willrealize thatanumber of minormodifications may be made in the structureshown without departing manufacture and that these belts or straps canbe woven out of wires having different colors so as to present varyingappearances. Because of these considerations, the invention is tobe'accorded comparatively wide latitude, and is to be considered only asbeing limited by the appended claims forming a part'of this disclosure.

1. A newand improved belt of the class described which comprises: firstand second woof wires located one above the othenfeach of said wiresbeing bent so as' to include loops facing alternate directions, saidloopson said wires being of approximately equal dimensions, andsaid'loops on said second woof wire being offset with respect to saidloops on. said first wire; and first and second warp wires engaging saidwoof'wires so as to pass over parts of said loops formed on said firstwoof wires and parts of saidloops formed on said second woof wires.

. 2 A new and improved belt which comprises: first and se ond. p r l elarp Wires space rom n an e and firstand. Second woof wires interlaced on.said'warp wires whereby said first woof'wire forms a series of loops;beneathsaid'warp wires and said secondwo'ofwires form a series of loopsabove said warp WllfQS, said loops on one side of said warp, wires beingoffset with. respect to. the lbQps, on the other side of said warpwires, sai d loops formed on said first and second woof wires being heldt g her, y said w rp wires so. as c-form a fla unitary belt.

3 .A new'an'd improved belt which comprises: a first woof Wire havingaseries of loops formed" thereon so that the alternate loops on said frst woof wire face opposite directions: a second Woof Wire having aseries of loops formed. thereon so that the, alternate loops on saidsjecondwoof wire,havesubstantiallyv the same dimension assaidjlofopsflin said Woof-wire, saidloops onsaid second woof wirebeingoffset with, rlepect to said loops in said firstI woof wireapproximately half the widthof said.

loopsz, a first warp, wirel located so as to project over alternateloopson saidfirst woof wire andnnder the pertions'. of said second woof wiregenerally beneath said alternate loops on said first woof wire;and a,second warp.

Wirelocnted, so as to project over said other alternate loops, on saidfirst woof wire, and under the. portions. of said second woof wiregenerally beneath, said other alter nate loopsonsaid first woof wire V r4. A belt. which, comprises: a buckleqstructure having d ecomt woo wireta he one, b se y g t hi ch satt e ide f' d first an s id c n rp wi e's.

said first and secondwoofwire s projecting from said baseso asto.be-locatcd generally, one above another,

' gether by, saidqwarp-w ires passing over and under p91,-

i n of a d oof wires foi n ngsa d l an References Cited inthezfileofthjspatent 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,54 Kast Jan. 1-5, 19071,192,302

Hammond et a1. July 25, 191s

